President Eloisa Williams

Eloisa Williams, of Spokane, Washington, is serving her second term as WSRID President. Prior to her current position, she served as WSRID Director for 2 years. A graduate from the ITP at Spokane Falls Community College she later earned her CI, CT, and NIC certifications. Since 2002, Eloisa has been deeply involved in the Professional Development Committee in the Spokane area and firmly believes "If you want something done, you must be willing to assist in making it happen." In addition to her primary work in post-secondary education, she is a freelance interpreter with a special interest in medical assignments. When she can, Eloisa spends time in her garden or reading books. However, the most cherished time is spent with grandchildren.

Vice President Donna Walker

Donna Walker, CI, CT, NIC-Advanced, SC:L is the Vice President of WSRID and lives and works as a community interpreter in Spokane, Washington. She graduated from Spokane Falls Community College in 1996 and has great passion for the profession of Interpreting. Not only does she enjoy working in the field of interpreting she greatly enjoys teaching interpreter workshops and mentoring new interpreters. Donna has served as the East Side Professional Development Chair person from 2000-2006 and 2008-2011. She was co-chair for the 2004 and 2009 WSRID State Conferences. She also served on the 2005-2007 WSRID Board as a director. For fun Donna loves to scrapbook, golf, hike, camp and spend time with family and friends. Her greatest joy is spending time with her 2 year old grandson, Waylen.

Secretary Tiffany Cooks

Tiffany Cooks is the Secretary of WSRID, in her first term. Living in Federal Way with her cat and boyfriend, Tiffany works as a freelance interpreter in the Greater Seattle Area. She graduated from the Interpreter Training Program at Seattle Central Community College in 2010 just prior to her receiving her NIC in 2011. Tiffany plans to go back to school next year to continue her studies for a BA in Linguistics or Business. She enjoys interpreting in post-secondary, medical, and political settings. In addition, her recent enjoyment is supporting new interpreters and students of the field. Outside of her passion for interpreting, she enjoys reading, crafting, painting, hanging out with friends, and camping. Tiffany resigned partway through her term on the board in order to move to Washington DC to further her education in Deaf Studies and Interpreting at Gallaudet University. 

Secretary Courtney Coddington

Courtney Coddington is the incoming Secretary for WSRID, a Seattle Central ITP graduate of the class of 2005, she also has her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Criminology. She currently lives in Kent, WA and works primarily in the VRS setting, but continues to freelance in the greater Seattle area and carries NIC certification. Courtney balances her professional life with volunteer positions within the American Red Cross and local police department. Her free time outside of work and volunteer activities is spent with close friends and family, traveling, knitting, testing out new recipes, and training for an upcoming triathlon.

Treasurer Jarren Kinch

Jarren Kinch is the treasurer for WSRID, in his third year on the board, and second year as treasurer. He currently lives in Lynnwood, WA, and works primarily in the post-secondary education setting, with some VRS and freelance. He is certified NIC-A, and also a trained TypeWell transcriber. He first became involved with sign language and interpreting after working with a Deaf coworker, and enjoyed ASL as his foreign language requirement so much that he continued through the ITP program at S.C.C.C. He then got his B.A. in General Studies: Humanities from Central Washington University. He also plays the tenor saxophone, and is a lifetime member of the Husky Marching Band Alumni Association.

Member-at-Large Emily Deleon

Emily Deleon is the current Member-at-Large of WSRID. She graduated from Seattle Central C C ITP in 1998. She has been working in the Seattle area ever since in various settings. Right now she mainly does VRS work. She a daughter, Cheyenne. They live in Kirkland Wa. She also has a sister in Oregon who is an interpreter too.

Directors:

Caroline Allen

Caroline Allen is a Director of WSRID, in her first term, and is thrilled to be the newest Director added to the WSRID board. She has great pride with ASL being her first language due to both parents being Deaf. Her professional career started as a community interpreter in 1989. She feels her proudest professional accomplishment was when she became Nationally Certified by RID in 2008 with an NIC Advanced. Currently she is co-chairing the PDC East Committee and is a member of the RID IDP special interest group. When she is not interpreter focused she really enjoys being a Grandma.

Laurel Bunker

Laurel Bunker is a Director of WSRID, in her first term. After earning a B.A. in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania in spring 2004, she enrolled at ASLIS in the fall. After graduating in 2007, just 3 days after the birth of her daughter, she took a year off to be home with her new baby. Laurel returned to freelance work in 2008 and earned her NIC Master certification in 2009. It was at UPenn where Laurel first developed a love for signing. She is very grateful to her first ASL instructors, Erin Wiggins and Ritchie Bryant, CDI for encouraging her to pursue interpreting. Laurel’s hope for her future as an interpreter is that with mentoring and industry experience she can mesh her engineering background with her interpreting abilities to specialize in technical interpreting. Currently, Laurel continues to do freelance interpreting with a passion for Christian, religious interpreting. Laurel’s main focus is being a mom to her 4 year old, Marissa, and 4 month old, Frankie. Her hobbies include fishing, painting, embroidery, and most important of all, watching her husband play video games.

Paul Glaser

Paul Glaser is a Director of WSRID in his first term. Paul is a high school teacher for Deaf students at the public school in the Seattle area and Mathematics instructor at Edmonds Community College. Paul has a teaching certification in advanced mathematics, Deaf Education and American Sign Language. He is pursuing to obtain a CDI certification. Paul had taught Math and ASL for few years at several colleges and schools before relocating to Seattle, Washington. Outside of his teaching, Paul has been involved with interpreting for Deaf and Deaf-blind people, presenting Math signs workshops, and mentoring. He has a Bachelor's degree in Math and Communication Studies from Gallaudet University and a Master's degree in Deaf Education from Rochester Institute of Technology. Paul lives in West Seattle and Whidbey Island. Paul enjoys skiing, traveling, and photography.

Schawn Hardesty

Schawn Hardesty is excited to serve her first term as a Director. She was exposed to sign language when she met two deaf neighborhood friends as a child. After graduating from the University of Washington with a BA in Sociology, she took ASL classes at SCCC and continued her education at Northeastern University in Boston, MA while working as an Administrative Support Manager at D.E.A.F. Inc, a statewide nonprofit agency that provides culturally and linguistically accessible programs and services to Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind individuals. She moved back west to Spokane to take a position as the Interpreter Coordinator at the Eastern Washington Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and found her true passion: community interpreting. She earned her CI, CT, NIC Advanced and SC: Legal and has volunteered with the Deaf and interpreting communities in many capacities. She enjoys hanging out with her husband and young daughter, traveling, sewing aprons & baby quilts, and practicing yoga.

Mark Hoshi

Mark Hoshi is a Director of WSRID. Former ASL instructor at SCCC. Formerly RSC (now called CDI) certified. Previously served three or four terms as Director on WSRID Board in ’80 and early ’90. Staunch supporter of interpreter’s process and growth. Demands professional integrity and continuous self-assessment. Licensed commercial electrician. Current chairperson for TADA! Enjoys surfing, fishing, camping, traveling, concerts, reading his NOOK, runs the Children’s program at Deaf Family Retreat (Ellensburg) and is a Senior Facilitator for the Deaf Teen Leadership camp at CISPUS, last but not least has been to over 125 Grateful Dead shows.

Melissa Klindtworth

Melissa Klindtworth is a Director for WSRID, in her second term. She currently lives in Spokane, WA, and works primarily in freelance settings. She earned her NIC-Advanced certification in 2007. Melissa has enjoyed developing and presenting workshops, and is passionate about keeping interpreting a healthy profession. She first became involved with sign language in high school with a friend, and later went to school for interpreting after her two children started school. She began her A.A.S. degree at S.C.C.C and finished the last quarter at S.F.C.C when she moved to Spokane. She enjoys being an active member of the PDC-East and looks forward to a productive year on the board!

Crystal Hazes

Crystal Hazes is this years Student Director for WSRID, and is currently in her 2nd year at SCCC Interpreter Training Program. She began learning ASL in 1999, at the University of Utah, and completed her second year of ASL at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN while earning her BA in Environmental Management. After many years of marriage, children and several jobs, she decided last year to focus on a career in interpreting. She looks forward to her year with WSRID, and to graduation from SCCC next summer. She enjoys camping and hiking with her family and friends, and a good book when time permits. Crystal resigned partway through her term on the board.